flamefeather stared jealously at the nursery, were stormcloud's new litter was feeding. the soft murmurs of the exhausted new mother could be heard through the entrance of the cave. She looked around the treeclan camp, she was a new warrior, her ceremony was only two days ago, and she already had an apprentice, silverpaw. speaking of the devil, the energetic kit bounced up behind her.
"where we goin'?"
she squeaked. flamefeather shook her pelt irritably.
"How about we go on a hunting expedition?"
she said. Silverpaw's ceremony was last night, meaning she was still technically in her kit stage.
"Yayayayayay!"
Flamefeather shook her head and sighed as they headed to the stone tunnel at one end of the camp. as soon as they were out in the trees, silverpaw was running off in every direction, her white fur flashing between the trees. flamefeather called her back. when they got to the great maple.
"Now, how do you hunt a mouse?"
she questioned. silverpaw closed her eyes in concentration for a moment before responding.
"you...step softly...?"
"very good. lets see your crouch."
silverpaw flattened herself to the ground. Flamefeather made a few corrections and then flicked her ears towards a mouse underneath a bush. Silverpaw nodded and slowly stalked forward. she looked at flamefeather to see if she was doing it right. receiving a nod. she crept forward and pounced. Flamefeather looked approvingly at her disappointed apprentice as she came up with nothing but a leaf.
"very good."
"but i didn't get it!"
"you almost did though. lets try again. come here."
silverpaw reluctantly dragged her paws over to flamefeather's side and crouched again.
after several hours of hunting, silverpaw had caught to mice. flamefeather had caught a thrush, squirrel, three mice, and a rabbit. flamefeather again glared at the nursery cave. silverpaw strutted to the fresh-kill pile and set down her mice while flamefeather dragged her load of prey back. she chose her own rabbit for herself and looked at silverpaw.
"Well done, why dont you take some prey to the elders and stormcloud, and then you can you can have some for yourself."
She said. silver eyes glinted back at her before before the fluffy white body raced to the battle, grabbed its own two mice, and raced for the elders cave. flamefeather wanted kits. simple as that. firespirit was deputy though. a tom like him would never want a pathetic she cat like her. angrily, flamefeather abandoned her half eaten prey and stalked to the nursery. she stopped at the enterance and composed herself for a moment, then walked in.
"stormcloud."
she greeted. three tiny kits nestled in the gray queens belly. stormcloud looked up tiredly.
"hey flamefeather."
her voice was weak. the kitting had been harder on her than most other queens. flamefeather felt her claws slide out as she angrily stared at a small black kit. she took a deep breath and calmed down.
"why?"
she croaked. stormcloud looked confused.
"What?"
"why?!"
she repeated.
"I-i dont understand."
stormcloud said. flamefeather growled.
"Why did you have to get kits now?! right when silverpaw becomes an apprentice? i wasnt ready for this!"
stormcloud relaxed a little and opened her mouth to respond, but was cut short by flamefeather.
"Why do you get kits and i dont?!"
"Oh darling. i didnt realize you wanted kits so badly."
flamefether sighed and nodded.
"i just want to know the joy of being a mother."
she murmured.
"Firespirit will come around, you'll see. you two are meant to be together."
"you really think so?"
"of course!"
flamefeather relaxed visibly.
"thank you."
"anytime darling. and just know that i am here whenever you want to talk."
flamefeather nodded and walked back to her prey. she bit into it half-heartedly. she and stormcloud had never gotten along. but now, flamefeather knew she had a new friend. a paw on her shoulder startled her and she jumped. she looked up into the warm green eyes of the deputy.
"you look deep in thought."
"yeah..."
flamefeather sighed.
"you know...now that you're a warrrior...we could spend more time together..."
flamefeather looked into firespirits embarrassed, deep green eyes. dark ginger pelt seemed to glow in the evening sunlight. she was lost for words. at her hesitation, firespirit turned his head away and his tail drooped.
"im sorry...i just thought that...maybe...nevermind"
firespirit padded slowly to the entrance. flamefeather stared after him, watching his pelt disappear into the tunnel. flamefeather shook her head violently and ran after him. she caught up to him at the edge of the stream, staring down at his reflection. she pounced on him and pinned him on his back. she glared into his eyes.
"how dare you run away from me!"
she purred at the look of shock on his face, leaning down and licking his nose she jumped up and ran into the trees. she heard firespirit chasing after her and ran as fast as she could. but she wasnt fast enough and was soon tackled to the ground by the ginger tom. they gazed into each others eyes for a long moment before heading back to camp, their pelts brushing.
-13 moons later-
Flamefeather lay in the nursery, one kit at her belly. she looked up as a cat entered the nursery. she was still exhausted and irritable from the kitting earlier that day. but she relaxed when she saw that it was just her mate, firespirit. she purred as she felt his warm body curl up around her. another cat entered soon after. this time it was silverfrost. now a warrior, she was one of the best hunters in the clan. her long lean body and speed made up for the unfortunate color of her pelt.
"oh hes so cute! whats his name?!"
she squealed. flamefeather looked at the small black and white kit and then her mate.
"badgerkit?"
"badgerkit"
firespirit agreed.
flamefeather sighed contentedly as silverfrost bounced out of the nursery cave to tell the clan, but a certain gray queen came in before they got any rest.
"stormcloud!"
stormcloud blinked. she glanced at firespirit.
"told you he'd come around darling."
she said. flamefeather purred.
"you sure did."